Track for show case doors



l, B934. H. E. MORAN TRACK FOR SHOW CASE DOORS Filed May 2l, 1932 fag., 2

gru/vento@ /emy E Harem PatentedMay l, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a track for show case doors.

Most modern show cases have a door comprising a single sheet of plate glass having the upper and lower edges thereof encased with a channeled sheet metal reinforcing member. Various types of tracks have been developed to facilitate the opening and closing of these doors. It has been found that the channeled door guides in which this type of door is usually mounted have a tendency to collect dust and dirt, and, when rollers are provided which roll on the bottom of the channeled guides, this dust and dirt interferes with the smooth and free operation of the doors. An object of the present invention is to make an improved track for show case sliding doors.

In order to attain this object, there is provided, in accordance with one feature of the invention, a channel having inwardly offset shoulders spaced upwardly from the bottom thereof and having a plurality of rollers mounted to roll on said shoulders, said rollers being held in spaced relation by a spacing bar connected to said rollers, and a door having the lower edge thereof resting upon the rollers tc ride thereon.

These and other features of the invention will be more fully brought out in the following description and the accompanying drawing, where- 1n:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a portion of a book case showing a sliding door mounted upon a track embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional View on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view through a portion of a spacing bar and a roller mounted therein, as it would appear taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail, a double channeled track A is formed from a single piece of sheet metal, as clearly illustrated in Figure 2. The track is formed with offset shoulders 1 spaced upwardly from the bottom 2 thereof. These shoulders are preferably sloping, as illustrated, so as to prevent the lodging of dust or dirt thereon. The portion of the track below these shoulders provides a recess in which a considerable amount of dust and dirt can collect before it will interfere with the free operation of the device.

Rollers B are constructed in pairs spaced apart as illustrated and connected by a concentrically disposed portion 3 which rigidly secures the rollers in parallel spaced relation. The outer faces 4, of the rollers, are formed on a slope coinciding with that of the sloping shoulders l. The peripheries of the rollers inwardly of these sloping faces are preferably flat and parallel to the axis so as to provide a suitable rolling support for the door which rides thereon. The rollers are held in spaced relation by a spacing bar 5 which is formed of strap metal and is provided with a plurality of notches 6 therein of a width slightly greater than the diameter of the members 3. These notches are rst formed with straight sides and after the members 3 have been inserted therein, the upper corners of the notches are struck and formed inwardly, as shown at 10 and 11 in Figure 3, to secure the members 3 in these .70 notches.

In assembling the device the channels A are secured to the lower edge of a show case opening 7 and are secured in position as by means of screws 8. The rollers B assembled in spacing 75 strips 5 of a required length, are then placed in position in the channels with the outwardly sloping edges 4 of the rollers resting upon the shoulders l of the channels. Doors 9 are then mounted upon the rollers B in a well known manner '80 and the upper edge of the doors are mounted in a channel, not shown, in a customary manner.

The doors resting upon the flattened peripheries of the rollers hold the rollers in vertical position, while the sloping tracks formed by the shoulders maintain the rollers centrally of the track. The rollers are preferably made narrower than the width of the channels A above the shoulders so as to remain out of contact with the sides of the channels above the shoulders to avoid f frictional contact with said sides. When thus positioned in the channeled tracks, the spacer bar 5 is suspended upon the portions 3 of the rollers, as shown in Figure 3, the width of the spacer 5 being such as topermit it to remain 9 5 above, and clear of, the bottom of the track. The rollers are retained within the notches 6 by means of the inwardly distorted points 10 and l1.

Even if the pockets provided below the shoulders l in the channeled tracks are filled with dust sufliciently to engage the lower edges of the spacer bars, no noticeable interference with the free action of the door is noted, since the spacer bar is free to ride upwardly on the members 3, and, furthermore, this spacer member has a tendency to displace the dust and form a channel for itself therein.

The construction is very simple to manufacture, and, due to the lack of friction between the .110

thereon, each of said rollers having a reduced central portion, the laterally outer peripheral portions of each of said rollers being disposed at an angle corresponding to that of said shoul ders to have rolling engagement therewith, and a spacing member having free pivotal connection with the reduced central portions of a plurality of said rollers to hold said rollers in spaced relation.

HENRY E. MORAN.

'Mil 

